To Know
by bfungus
Summary: It's the only way they can say goodbye. - One-shot. Set during the time-skip. Conner&Artemis friendship/hint of romance/up to your interpretation


**Characters**: Conner Kent, Artemis Crock  
**Setting**: During the Time-Skip  
**Pairings**: Conner/Artemis (brotp? Hints of romance? Up to you.), Wally/Artemis

* * *

She walks out of her room, her now old room, with the last box of items in her grasp. She had taken a little longer than Wally to clear out all of her belongings, but that was only because she enjoyed spending a few nights at the base instead of at home in Gotham. She remembered all the times she guiltily lied to her mom about the mission taking longer than usual, but sometimes she enjoyed being in her home away from home. That wasn't wrong of her, was it? The automatic door closes behind her, and Artemis jumps at the sudden noise. Sighing, she shakes her head, knowing that she should hurry since Wally's waiting for her in Stanford.

As she walks down the hallway, she begins to hear a faint buzzing noise and furrows her brows. It's familiar and she speeds up just a little to reach the main room. Smiling slightly at the sight, she lowers the box down and walks towards the green couch. She knows that he knows she's there. He can hear her footsteps after all. Hands placed on her hips, she shifts her weight over to one side and asks, "Anything good on?"

A shrug. "The usual."

Her grin broadens and she meanders around the couch to sit next to him, both eyes now locked on the static-filled screen. It's not an awkward silence, it's never really been awkward between them – except for that one time she mind-hit on him, but come on, Conner's hot. No one can deny that. She's even caught a few of the newbies eyeing him once in a while. Even if it's not an awkward moment, she wants to say something to him. They're leaving after all.

He could always visit, but with the team and all the missions he'd most likely be on, who knows when he'd really be free. Sure, he had more free time nowadays since the break up, but that didn't mean he wouldn't be busy with some not-so-covert operations. And she has to keep telling herself that school comes first. By the time he will be free, she'd probably be knee-deep in papers to write.

They're going on separate paths. He'd always been her White Rabbit, but now, now she'd have to leave that part of her behind.

She shifts on the couch, her head now facing his as she opens her mouth, but he beats her to it.

"This is my favorite channel."

She blinks. Turning her head back towards the television set, she tilts her head. "Why's that?" It's really just static. She's not sure what sort of amusement he could find in it, but tries to look closer anyway. Maybe there's some sort of hidden message she's missing out on.

"Because you can create whatever story you want."

She doesn't get it at first, and the words need to process a few times in her mind, but soon enough, she understands. Her head quickly turns so she can face him in order to tell him what she thinks about his idea, but instead of seeing his profile like she expects, he's smiling at her instead.

And she knows that he knows.

They're the same in a way. He was created to be a weapon, she was born from a family of villains, but they both chose different paths. They both decided that it was better to do good than to destroy it. They've forged their own stories separate from the ones they were supposed to lead.

When he drops her off at the front porch of her new home, they share a brief smile and a long hug. No other words are spoken because none are needed. She had wanted to tell him about how he was the one that led her to the team, but she has the distinct feeling that he already knows that as well.

* * *

"Whatcha watchin', babe?"

Artemis rolls her eyes, nudging Wally back with her left arm as he settles beside her. She doesn't respond, only grins and uses her eyes to gesture towards the television so he can see for himself.

Wally furrows his brows, face scrunching up in confusion when he notices just what she's just spent the past five minutes staring at. "Um, Arty, I don't know if you know this, but you're watching _static_." He eyes her with worry, and Artemis rolls her own eyes at the sight.

"Thank you for that lovely insight, Captain Obvious." She punches him in the shoulder and she watches as he feigns a hurt expression.

"I'm serious though!" he exclaims, arms moving outward to emphasize his words. "You do this more often and I'll start thinking Supey has been influencing you or something."

Her expression softens when he mentions Conner's nickname and it takes a second or two, but she nods her head. "Something like that," she murmurs.

Wally's completely dumbstruck expression causes her to laugh and she grabs the remote, changing the channel to something just a bit more lively to lift her boyfriend's spirits. "Come on," she says, grabbing his hand as she stands up, dragging him along with her, "Let's go make some food."

His eyes brighten immediately at the prospect of food, and he hurries after her with a newfound bounce in his step. "Babe, you know exactly how I operate!"

Chuckling, she opens the fridge, pulling out a few necessary ingredients as the two argue over what exactly they could make on a cold Saturday night. In the back of her mind though, she can't help but add that there is another that seems to know her, and vice versa, inexplicably as well.

* * *

And so, when he's staring up at her hologram, he doesn't say anything because somewhere out there, she already knows everything he needs to say.


End file.
